To be lost on the road of life
by Fritosaurio
Summary: Uchiha Shisui knew his little brother had always been an odd one. Just like Itachi.
1. Chapter 1

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Izuna sat at the swing and closed his eyes, idly listening to the sounds of children playing on the park as he did so. No one came over to bother him and he did not try to go over and speak with anyone else.

He was okay with that.

He always thought of himself as a quiet and harmonic person. Being left alone allowed him time to think and he had always appreciated being given time where he could allow his thoughts to wander. It was time he often allocated to reflection, improvement, and relaxation. All three were very important things, and he rather enjoyed letting his mind drift after a long day of training with his brother, boring clan meetings or fighting.

Only these days he did not do any of that.

Lately, he simple sat there, trying to figure out some important questions that were bothering him.

But he still could not find himself close to an answer.

 _Why am I alive?_

 _Where am I? This is not my home._

 _What happened to Madara? Where is he!_

 _Where is my brother!_

 _Why am I a baby? I am not supposed to be a baby!_

Somehow, he had been reincarnated. He did not know how or why, only that he had woken up one day in a body that was not his own. The body of a baby.

Well, now that he put a little thought, "waking up" in this new life did not happen immediately. There was no sudden burst of consciousness—one moment thinking he was a baby and the next finding he was a completely different person. It wasn't like waking up from a dream either—the slow wishful wakefulness after a good night's sleep that keeps one's eyelids heavy and gives one's mind a tired restfulness. Waking up, perhaps, was not even the best of terms to describe remembering everything he did as Izuna.

It was a process.

Yes, this was a much better term to describe what happened to him.

It had started with emotions first.

Pride

Love

 **HATE**

Joy

Exasperation

 **F _e_** A **r**

They had crowded him at the oddest times of day, be it when his new mother or brother held him in their arms or when one of his many aunts came to take care of him. Then came the images. Faces, mostly, of people he could not quite remember. Then there were sounds —clanging of weapons, rustling of leaves, soft voices singing lullabies, tortured screams— that he heard at all hours of the day. It went on and on like that until he was suddenly being bombarded by memories of all kinds.

He saw war, death and love.

 _I love you otouto, never forget that._

 _You are the most precious thing I have, Izuna._

 _Don't you dare die on me! Please!_

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 _Train with me, nii-San_

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 ** _You can't trust the Senju._**

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His new body had been just a month or two more than a year old when 'Makoto' remembered that he was 'Izuna' and he had spent much of his time since then wondering how that was possible.

Makoto knew he had died. He _knew_ this as a matter of fact. The same way you know the sun is there but you do not need to watch it. He could remember the battle that killed him all too well.

He had nightmares of his own death. He could remember the Senju blade still in his chest and his big brother crying and trying to help him. Nevertheless, he always woke up and both the blade and his brother were missing.

Those memories crowded him every night _._

The way he had fallen to the ground, choking on blood next to his brother. The way he had died, fighting side by side with the person he admired and loved the most. The way his last words were a curse full of hatred against the _Senju_ and the Shinigami's peaceful embrace.

That should have been the end.

But _It wasn't_

 _And three years had passed since he had "woken up"._

He did not know why he had been reborn. It was like…like… How does someone gain the privilege to be reincarnated? Or, to make his special circumstances clearer, gain the privilege to be in another body and the opportunity to start a new life with adult memories and a life's worth of mistake? That was something he often asked himself.

But there was never a clear answer.

How it felt, it took him a few weeks to realize what had happened and it hardly mattered if he accepted it or not right away. He had the rest of his second life to struggle and accept and embrace who he was.

He was now a baby.

In another time, by the looks of people and their weird clothes.

At first, he thought that it could be karma, that it was Kami's punishment for him. A person that died consumed by the curse of hatred. His last words were a curse instead of a blessing for Madara. A balm for his last brother. A forgiveness that they hadn't gotten peace, yet. A demand, even, that Madara not let him die in vain.

His last words were supposed to give hope to Madara, hope to achieve their dream.

Not hatred.

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But Madara had gotten his village, hadn't he?

Madara had achieved their dream, right?!

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It was a cruel sort of irony that he would be stuck living in the same village his brother and Hashirama fought so hard to create.

The same village he refused to create because he feared that it was a trap of the Senju.

His eyes lingered for a moment on the Hokage Mountain; their stern faces were constant on the horizon. He could not help but feel mad every time I saw the second face on the cliffside. _The bastard_. It was some kind of grim reminder and bad joke.

 _Madara's face should be up there._

 _This village was his dream too!_

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Izuna wanted to break stone, since there was no Senju bastards left to kill.

 _Someday I should try to persuade that whiskered kid to help me vandalize the monument._ Izuna thought with a mischievous smile on his face as he remembered the first time he saw a little mob of people, chasing after said kid.

That kind of thought were something frequent. However, Izuna always tried to remind himself that his petty revenge against Tobirama could wait a little.

The bastard was not going anywhere.

Because death people cannot escape.

Izuna _knew_ , he already vandalized his tomb two times.

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Izuna was fairly certain that as a baby he had terrified a good number of people. He was mainly taken care of by his mother —a kind women that went by the name of Amane— a teenager brother and his many aunts. Moreover, he had seen a number of them watch him with concerned expressions. It simply was not normal for a baby his age to be so intelligent, self-aware or to wake up at the middle of night screaming because of nightmares from a battlefield a hundred years gone.

 _I am a little worried, my baby keep having those nightmares._ His new mother said more than one time.

Izuna felt sorry, it was not his intention to worry his new family so much.

But he could not help it! He was a traumatized seventeen-year-old guy in the body of a toddler. Damn.

"Uchiha Makoto!"

Izuna opened his eyes and smiled as he saw the face of his brother.

His brother's cheeks puffed, as he usually would when he was annoyed. "Were you listening to a word I said?" he asked. But Izuna knew he was faking annoyance.

Therefore, he shrugged. "I guess not. Was it important?"

Letting out a little laugh, his brother started to push him on the swing.

Makoto had always been an odd one.

Just like Itachi.

"So… will you tell me about what were you thinking? Your face looked like if you were trying to unravel the secrets of the universe… or plotting revenge"

"Maybe I am," Makoto answered with a mysterious tone on his voice before taking out his tongue.

Just like his last life, he had a brother in this one, too. A brother by the name of Shisui.

"Kids these days have no respect for their elders," Shisui pouted.

"How old are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Old enough to kick your ass, shrimp" his brother started to push him even harder on the swing.

"HEY!"

Shisui had always taken care of him whenever their mother was busy.

According to him, their father died while his mother was pregnant, during some kind of disaster with some kind of tailed beast. Therefore, Shisui was the person with whom he spent most of his time, as their mother was always working in order to provide her family.

It never mattered how tired he was, Shisui always had time for him.

When he was one year old, he could remember his brother coming into his room with wide eyes filled with affection, only to sit by his crib and whisper bedtime stories to Izuna's toddler form.

There were nights when Izuna had nightmares, so Shisui spent the entire night there, doing nothing more than tell him stories about his day and things he wanted to do with Izuna when Izuna was older.

 _Mako-Chan, I can't wait for you to grow up!_

He was a great brother and a very sweet boy. He had a sort of softness about him that often reminded Izuna of Madara's rival, Hashirama, something he once would have hated and now clung to. He was also like his little cousin Kagami in many of his mannerisms, if not less prejudiced against people outside the clan. It was nostalgic and heartbreaking all the same, and Izuna could not help but let his heart endear itself to the boy.

He could see just how much Shisui loved him and it was a beautiful thing to watch.

Days slowly turned to months and months turned to years. The time they spend together slowed when he graduated from the Academy when Izuna was three. Instead, they changed to spare hours spent walking through the Uchiha Compound streets and visits to the park on a nearby hill. Izuna treasured these moments even more once Shisui started going out on missions, despite the fact that Shisui had a few more months yet before he would be allowed to take on anything more dangerous than chasing a cat.

One day, Shisui would go on a mission far more dangerous than chasing a cat and one day he might not come back.

So Izuna treasured the time they spent together, no matter what they did during those times. Be it reading from the old scrolls in the Uchiha libraries, wandering around the backstreets of the compound, or late night story telling over hot chocolate and smiles.

At age four, nothing too exciting had happened in Izuna's life. The most exciting thing to look forward too was the times Shisui occasionally took him to the park on the hill. It was fun, in a way, to lose himself in the facade of a child and pretend that he was 'Just little Makoto' rather than an S-rank shinobi reborn in the body of one of his descendants.

It let him wonder if this was what a real childhood was like, he thought to himself as they were playing on the swings.

No worries about endless war.

No more innocent blood spills.

A perfect world.

A world were sons could bury their fathers and no fathers had to bury their sons.

This was the dream of his family. The dream the Uchiha fought so hard to achieve for countless generations and so many died without seeing it come true.

And he was granted the privilege of living that dream.

 _Maybe, being reborn was not that bad._

Today, Shisui told him that he would met his best friends little brother.

So you could say that Izuna was a little more excited than usual.

But then it hit him. A chakra he had been searching for, even if he had not realized it.

Madara

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	2. Chapter 2

**Warning:** I am not a native English speaker, and this story is mainly to help me practice my English. Be afraid. :P

 **Note:** My native languages are Greek and Spanish; i usually mix some of the grammar, so if you are a grammar nazi, you are not welcome. However, constructive criticism is welcome :)

This story is going to be long and is also Izuna-centric.

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 **CHAPTER TWO**

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 **-Four Years-**

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 _He always had chakra like warm ashes. It was like the smell of incense in the shrine, or the sandalwood. It spoke of an old tree that lost its leaves in autumn. Sturdy, calm and indifferent on the outside but full of life and still growing._

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"Madara…"

There was disbelief there. So was worry, surprise, and confusion. However, most of all there was this:

Hope.

Izuna slowed the swing to a stop and looked over at the entrance to the park, just in time to see the appearance of a pair of brothers. The taller one, with dark eyes and a somber face, with long hair pulled back and a gleaming piece of metal over his forehead —he was a shinobi— looked to be around ten years old; he was giving a piggyback to a little and smiling kid that looked to be Izuna's age.

The younger boy was the one who bore Madara's Chakra.

Izuna remained so abstracted in his own world that he did not notice when both brothers were standing in front of him.

Itachi and Shisui greeted each other as usual, but Makoto and Sasuke were a completely different story.

They kept watching each other, lost in some strange limbo where the world around them ceased moving. Emotions warred inside of Izuna's head and he struggled with opposing wants. A part of him wanted to walk over there and hug the bastard so hard. Another wanted nothing more than crying.

Because Sasuke looked confused and that hurt Izuna.

 _He doesn't remember._

His throat was bone dry. No matter how hard he tried to talk first, he could not. Izuna could feel his eyes watering. _Stupid four-year-old body with its stupid four-year-old tear ducts_. Izuna thought.

Apparently, the older kids realized his hesitation, so they decided to intervene.

"Makoto-Kun" Itachi put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "This is my little brother. His name is—"

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke and this is my brother, Itachi," Sasuke interrupted. "He's the best ninja there is and one day I'm going to be just like him! He is going to become Hokage and one day he will have a big stone face carved in the Cliffside" Itachi glanced to his little brother with the faintest exasperation to his expression.

Izuna could not help but smile.

The younger one does the talking. Younger brothers usually do.

Izuna _knows._ Because he always did the same thing.

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Something inside of Izuna breaks and stays broken.

He _understood_ that the bond they once shared is broken. Buried in a battlefield a hundred years gone.

However, Izuna couldn't care less. Even when he was upset with Madara, when it felt like he had nothing in common with the dreaming, peace-seeking bastard, they always stayed together. He will always be his brother. He would fight for him. He would die for him.

He did fight for him.

He did die for him.

Even if Madara could not remember him, he would do it again without thinking twice.

He would do it for Shisui.

Because Izuna is nothing but a loyal person.

Because he loves his family and he does not want them to die.

Izuna is blinking, suddenly, because his side hurts thinking about the blade that tore into his torso and cut out the last of his life. That was the last time Madara held him, on that bloody battlefield. The last time he saw Madara's face. The last words that he'd spoken to him-

 _You can't trust the Senju -_

He had been right. Right? Those had been the right words to say. Right?

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No

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The last four years, all that Izuna had left —Father was dead. His brothers gone— all that was left was Shisui, Madara's dream… and regret because of those last words.

Approaching with renewed determination, Izuna intentionally showed the best sugar coated smile he could.

Worked like a charm.

"Nice to meet you, Sasuke! Want to be friends?"

"Hmn"

Maybe not.

"Ah, our Sasuke here is a bit of a grump!" Shisui ruffled Sasuke's ebony locks affectionately and the stony-eyed boy jerked away with an annoyed glare. The teen shot him an apologetic smile as he made a cursory sweep of both Makoto and Sasuke while projecting nothing except a relaxed, lazy mood even thought he had been concerned about their reaction some seconds ago when they "meet for the first time".

Shisui knew something weird was happening between their little brothers

He did not immediately seem interested in pushing the matter, publicly anyway.

 _Color me impressed, there is definitely a fine infiltration expert in this youth._ Izuna thought with a nervous laugh and one mental note to avoid underestimating his brother.

"I wanted to train with Nii-san today." the young boy, Sasuke, grumbled while shooting a glare at Itachi who was once again completely devoid of expression even if he shrugged. "But since I'm already here, I suppose I could play a bit." Sasuke said. "Let's play ninja"

"Cool!"

"Now, last one up is a rotten tomato!"

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While he may no longer be the feared commander of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Makoto was no slouch when it came to dexterity. Pumping his legs hard, the dark haired boy rapidly caught up with Sasuke and smirked cheerily as he passed the sputtering duck-haired kid and launched himself up the side of the playground structure.

Sasuke claimed he had cheated, to which he replied that there is no fair play as a ninja but since he was not using chakra, yet, it was a moot point.

Their "mission" took a series of crazy turns as Sasuke proclaimed himself the team captain and Makoto willingly submitted to his orders. Their team had to take over a dozen head first plunges down the slide to escape their enemies. They were forced to hide beneath a pile of leaves to ambush potential enemies and use sticks to replicate tossing kunai.

Finally, the giggling pair ended up at the swing set where Sasuke demonstrated incredible reflexes, for a child just a few months shy of five, by launching himself backward into the swing with a cheery whoop.

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"What do you what to do now, Sasuke?"

"Dunno"

"Well, you both better watch out," Shisui cut into their little conversation, earning two surprised looks. "Because I'm giving you squirts five minutes to plan and then I'm coming after you. Not that any of you can possibly escape a chunin like me!"

The older nin's comment inspired identical looks of determination from both of them. Even Izuna felt excited by the impromptu challenge and gestured for his new friend to gather around closer.

"We need to prepare some traps."

Izuna could not help but smile, because for the first time since he _woke up_ in this weird place, he had stopped feeling lost.

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What do you think of the second chapter?


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you very much for the reviews!

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 **CHAPTER THREE**

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 **—Six Years—**

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"Itachi?"

Said teen looked backwards to see his friend writing a mission report whilst a clone packed his AMBU equipment. Or perhaps it was the other way around. It was hard to tell without activating his sharingan.

Shisui's use of kage bunshin was inestimable.

However, if Itachi had to choose, he would bet the real Shisui was the second.

Shisui _hated_ paperwork

"Shisui?"

"I heard you had the day off today...?" He shot him a hopeful, if harried, look.

Anticipating the request of his friend, Itachi smiled "I can keep an eye on him. How long will you be gone?"

"Oh, it shouldn't be for too long, I just need to drop off a couple of packages to the tea country." He pushed back his hair with one hand, "I'm not too worried about the fact of leaving him. I know that he is capable of taking care of himself, I am sure Makoto will be safe. Is just that..."

"I know"

With the swift efficiency of a long-practiced movement, Shisui put his mask and dispelled the bunshin.

Itachi was right; the second one was the real.

"Are they outside?"

The silence did not last a second before Itachi heard an aggravated cry.

"MAAAKKOOOOTTTOOO!"

Well, now he knew where they were.

Shisui said goodbye as he disappeared in a shunshin.

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When Itachi reached the courtyard, he saw Makoto, who lay on the ground, looking very tired.

"We're going to go to the Academy tomorrow, so we have to be prepared! Stand up!" Sasuke proclaimed.

Makoto rolled onto his stomach and gave Sasuke an apologetic smile, "Don't you think we have trained enough? Nii-San says that rest is an important part of training"

Sasuke stretched his arms above him, waving for emphasis, "No! Tomorrow we are going to represent our clan!"

"How?" Itachi intentionally crunched a few leaves to prevent startling the kids.

Worked like a charm.

Sasuke spun, froze, and suddenly sat upright looking so painfully hopeful that caused Itachi to smile.

 _Train with me, nii-San!_

Those words went unsaid but it was written all over Sasuke's face.

"With… with Ninjutsu!" Getting closer to a tree, he lectured, "Father said you already knew the tree climbing exercise before you were a student, so we should too!"

Itachi's smile disappeared the moment he listened the lie his father told Sasuke.

He was not okay with that.

Tree climbing was a very complex and dangerous exercise. It was only taught to advanced Gennin and Chunnin because of its chakra intensive nature; it could be mortal if practiced by kids without supervision.

Makoto and Sasuke were kids without supervision.

When Itachi was going to talk, Sasuke interrupted him.

Like he always did.

Itachi said nothing. He knew that younger brothers were supposed to be that way.

"Makoto already master the exercise! I feel like I'm close, but I always fall from the tree" he pouted.

"Can you show me?" Itachi asked cautiously. _How is that possible?_ Went unsaid.

Seeing that Itachi was frowning, Makoto started to demonstrate, "I saw one gennin practice tree climbing in the park! Just watch!" Itachi's eyes widened as he saw Makoto focusing a fixed amount of chakra to the bottom of his feet.

His chakra control was perfect.

In no more than five seconds, the young kid disappeared in the branches of the tree, only to greet them from the top of the tree.

There was a perfect word to describe what Itachi was feeling at that very moment:

 _Disbelief_

Sasuke followed next, although it was true that his technique left much to be desired, as he said earlier, he was getting close to it. However, before he said anything, a wrong foot placement caused Sasuke to stumble backwards as he was thrown off balance,

"Itaii!"

Makoto kindly smiled at Sasuke and came down from the tree, "Stop rushing everything Sasu-Chan. Don't you think that this is enough practice for one day, nee? I am sure you will get it tomorrow"

Sasuke flushed and growled petulantly, "Not until I get it! Everybody knows I am the better of us"

"I think you mean _'the best'_ "

Not dignifying Makoto with a verbal reply, Sasuke pouted, arms akimbo in frustration.

Letting out a laugh, Itachi stepped into view and held a hand out for the kids to hold as they left Shisui's house.

Izuna's eyes widened, because Itachi never laughed before.

"What else can you do?" Itachi asked, amusement colouring his voice.

"Makoto taught me the leaf concentration practice! Just wait, we are going to be the best ninja ever!"

"If you guys get any good at it I'm sure ANBU would pick you two up in a heartbeat." Itachi playfully said as he ruffled Sasuke and Makoto's ebony locks affectionately.

Sasuke lighted up at the idea.

"Do you really think so?" Sasuke asked eagerly to tug on Itachi's shirt, "Do you really think we could make ANBU?"

Unlike Sasuke, Makoto understood the true implications of what his friend was saying.

He did not like it.

Makoto did not wanted Sasuke to make into ANBU, being a child soldier is one thing but assassinating people is another; he never liked killing innocent people, and his smile became strained as he looked in Sasuke's direction.

Because Madara´s dream was keeping the child alive as long as possible, away from horrors of the battlefield. Keep their innocence.

That was the true purpose of Konoha.

However, Makoto understood that they live in a dangerous world.

Makoto understood that violence in unavoidable. Therefore, he had been training Sasuke.

"I'm sure we could," Makoto assured Sasuke, his words sounded hollow to his own ears, something Itachi did not missed, if his narrowed eyes were anything to go by, "But we'd have to work hard. After all, ANBU are the best right?"

Itachi nodded. That did nothing to deter Sasuke from his new found goal.

"We'll train very hard then," Sasuke said, a determined glint in his eyes, letting go of Itachi's shirt and turning to his best friend, "We will become the best AMBU ever!"

"Just like nii-San and Itachi." Makoto said.

"And you will help us won't you big brother?"

Itachi looked like he was going to protest, but the hopeful look in Sasuke's eyes had him agreeing.

"Of course," Itachi said, sounding distant, "But ANBU is very hard to get into, you'll have to train even more than you are now."

Sasuke made a sound of agreement.

"Of course we will! There's always time for training!"

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"Itachi?"

"Yes, Makoto?"

"Where are we going?" Itachi glanced at Makoto's guileless eyes and wondered if the subject change was a poor attempt at deflection or the result of a child's short attention span.

"The playground."

Immediately, Sasuke started protesting, "Ehhh? I thought we were going to go to the training grounds! You are supposed to show me how to throw shuriken!"

"Sorry, Sasuke. Maybe some other time"

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if you have any feedback or find any grammar mistake feel free to comment. :)


	4. Chapter 4

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 **Chapter Four**

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 **—** **Six Years—**

The first day at the Academy was interesting. In fact, it reminded Izuna of the classes he used to receive with his five brothers, in his other life. Going around the class and introducing yourself to the rest of the kids you are going to be stuck with for the year was something new.

Izuna thought that the change was refreshing; being outside the compound walls was a welcomed experience. Moreover, he was confident to say that Sasuke felt the same way, if his excited eyes were anything to go by.

Class itself was like going to an inter-clan gathering. For Izuna, It was almost touching to see the way so many people from a different clan could be in the same room without fighting each other.

Sure, there were plenty of nameless children. Civilian born, perhaps. Or just from less notable shinobi lines. Many dark haired kids in dark clothes hurrying to pick seats near their friends.

"Welcome to Konoha Academy"

The class began to settle down as a man came into the classroom. He has short straight brunette hair, narrow black eyes, and average height. He was wearing the standard Konoha Shinobi outfit complete with the forehead protector around his waist, sandals, and chunnin jacket.

The man smiled brightly at them as he stood in front of front of his little audience.

He greeted them. "My name is Shimura Ren, but you can just refer to me as Ren-sensei. I will be your instructor for the next three years. I hope you kids can make things easy for me by doing what I say and we will all get along just fine."

Just as he said that, the classroom door slid open, showing a panting blond kid. "Sorry… I'm late!" he apologized as he leaned against the wall to catch his breathe.

Izuna smiled as he saw that the whiskered prankster turned out to be in his class.

He always thought that his chakra was familiar, but he could not quite remember.

Ren crossed his arms and gave him an annoyed look. "Arriving late for your first day of class is not giving me a good impression of you," He told him. Then, he widened his eyes. "Oh, you're that kid." His demeanor changed from annoyed to disgust as he averted his eyes away from him, pointing at an empty seat. "Just go sit down."

Ignoring his obvious distaste towards him, Naruto put on a wide grin as he skipped up the steps and sat down beside the place where Izuna and Sasuke were sitting. "What's up! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!" he said happily to Sasuke as he reached out his hand.

Sasuke gave Naruto a bored look and decided to ignore him.

A tick mark flashed on Naruto's head as he gritted his teeth. "Hey, teme! Don't ignore me when I am introducing myself to you!"

"Hn," Sasuke replied without looking.

Izuna allowed an amused look as he saw their interaction.

It looked so familiar.

Almost nostalgic.

"Someday I will become the greatest Hokage ever and all of you will learn to respect me!"

"Like if a looser like you could become Hokage!" A random kid said

As Naruto chose another seat, some students decided to leave their places.

Izuna frowned as he saw that.

There was a buffer of empty chairs around him, two on either side. Some civilian kids were shooting poisonous glares at Naruto from the moment he walked into the room.

It looked like if Naruto was some kind of pariah.

He could not understand how people could be so mean with a poor kid.

Izuna was not okay with that.

Yes, he would admit that the kid was annoying —every Uzumaki is annoying by rule— but it was rather obvious the little orphan acted loud and made pranks on people because he wanted attention.

Someone to recognize his existence.

Izuna _knew,_ because in his last life he faced the horrors of war.

He saw hundreds of orphans and he felt no shame to admit that he was responsible for some of them.

He buried his own father when he was ten years old.

He did what he had to do to protect his family.

However, he understand that the worst thing in the world is not being alone; it is being surrounded by people that make you feel alone.

"Anyways" Ren said before speaking at a normal tone. "During your first year here at the Academy, you will be learning basic arithmetic, reading comprehension, spelling, and grammar. You will do a little bit of this every year, but it will be the main focus on this year. Before one becomes a Shinobi, they need to know how to read, write, and solve problems."

Other thing that made Izuna felt somewhat uncomfortable were the occasional glances that some of his female classmates directed toward Sasuke and him.

It almost gave him shivers.

As their teacher kept talking, Izuna observed the classroom; he saw an Inuzuka, a Yamanaka, a Nara, a _Huuyga_ , and even an Akimichi there. In addition, if the faint buzzing coming from the kid in the coat was any indication, there was an Aburame there too.

All that was missing is Hatake, Sarutobi and, of course _senju_.

"Open your books on page 19"

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Maybe he would never admit it, but a little part of him was more than a little concerned that there was no Senju to be found, especially since they were such a large clan.

They could not have disappeared for no reason, and the clan had still been going strong when he had died.

Izuna had dug around in the Uchiha library and found there had been a number of happenings since his death that could have caused it. Among them, three mayor shinobi wars had occurred. Had the Senju perished in one of those? Alternatively, was there a different reason for their disappearance?

 _Three shinobi wars…_ Izuna thought as he closed his eyes.

The irony was real.

Konoha had been founded to inspire peace, and yet there had been three shinobi wars in the span of less than a century.

One century filled with pain, suffering and emptiness.

The village system did not stopped wars like Madara thought; instead, it made them bigger and even more deadly and organized.

Madara's dream never felt so distant.

History was not all bad, however. The technological and industrial revolution had taken off. A number of changes had been made to living conditions, medicine, weaponry, and other technology.

So far, some of the most terrifying diseases of the past like smallpox had been eradicated by vaccines; saving millions of lives.

The village was powered by electricity, candles had been replaced with light bulbs, air conditioners made the summer heat that much more bearable, and a number of other improvements had occurred.

Leadership, too, had changed. After Hashirama and _Tobirama_ times as Hokage, there had been two others.

A Sandaime and a Yondaime; even though, the Senju influence persisted.

Izuna would recognize that he was pleasantly surprised when he found out that the son of Sasuke Sarutobi was the Sandaime. He smiled at the memory of the infamous leader of the Sanada Ten Braves.

Considering this was their first year at the Academy, the teacher did not seem to expect much from his students. While each question they have been given was phrased to remind the students they were being trained to be shinobi, it was still the most boring thing Izuna has ever encountered in both his lives. He winded up relying on his knowledge from before more than he would have liked to get through the worksheets they have been given. The worksheets were standard, given out at the beginning of the year to judge exactly how much a student already knew.

It was basic, simple. It made Izuna wonder if the teachers were all messing with them.

 _It takes two kunai or three shuriken to kill a target. Your team have sixteen kunai and twenty-four shuriken._

 _How many targets can you kill?_

Most of all the worksheets bored Izuna out of his mind. Therefore, when he finished his worksheet early he spared a glance at Sasuke to see him finishing his worksheet as well. Folding his arms on his desk, Izuna laid his head down on them and let himself drift off.

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After a couple of hours of Ren going on about what they should expect for the year, it was lunchtime.

The kids dispersed from their sits and began to eat and mingle as Izuna and Sasuke decided to remain on their site and unpack their bento.

As they ate, Izuna saw Naruto as he tried to join in with several different groups of kids before walking away from being ignored.

"I feel bad for Naruto"

"Hmn"

"I think that you had no reason to ignore him"

"Makoto, he is annoying"

"Yes he is."

"So?"

"It is not his fail, he do not have a father or mother to teach him manners. Maybe we should try to be nice with him. He seems like a good kid."

"Hmn"

Izuna realized that Naruto did not have any lunch packed with him.

Maybe Naruto forgotten when he overslept this morning.

As he saw that, he tried to not give in until he heard his stomach rumble all the way to their place. Naruto put a hand on his stomach as he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment as his classmates stared at him before returning to their business.

Suddenly, Naruto saw Izuna staring at him and made his way up to their place.

He eyed him suspiciously. "Why do you keep on looking at me?" he asked. "You look girlish."

Izuna almost cough up his lunch as Naruto said that.

Sasuke's mocking smirk did little to abate his expression that truly must have resembled that look of horror when they had witnessed _that_ man with green spandex, big eyebrows and unbreakable sunset jutsu.

"Y-you t-think that I l-look girlish?"

He always thought that he had the average Uchiha appearance, black eyes, fair-skinned with spiky black hair, like Shisui.

Naruto nodded. "Well, yeah. You have very nice and long hair, like some of the girls in the village" If Naruto had stopped there, Izuna felt certain he could have retained his dignity. So much for that. "But your face is all pretty and cute too."

 _Just...kill me now_. Izuna thought, his face red as Sasuke kept smirking, trying to ignore Naruto. _I told you._ Went unsaid.

"I'm a **b** Oy!" he sputtered, tugging on his hair and wondering if he really looked that feminine. Kagami and Madara had called him girly in his previous life, but he always thought that it was some kind of joke.

Thank Kami that Shisui was not there or he would be laughing his ass off.

"I a _M_ nO **t g** iR **ly**!" Izuna told him trying to regain some of his composure.

"You're funny," Naruto said as he sat with Izuna.

His stomach growled again.

"And you are hungry." Izuna gave him his bento, still trying to calm himself. "You can have the rest of my lunch"

Naruto shook his head. "No, that's yours! I will be fine until I get home. It's my fault I forgot to pack my lunch anyways. My stupid alarm didn't go off."

"I know it is mine. I get to decide what I want to do with it and I am deciding to share my lunch with you."

Izuna waved the food under his nose for extra measure. He smelled the delicious aroma from the tomato onigiris that his mother prepared, and gulped. "Are you sure?"

He sighed. "I wouldn't be offering it to you if I was not."

He gave him a huge grin as he snatched the bento from his hands and began to dig in. "Mmmph! Mmmph! Thank you so much! Mmmph!" he told him with his mouth full.

"No problem" Izuna said, a little smile on his face.

"So, what is your name?" he asked after coming up for air after eating for two minutes straight. Izuna stared at his now empty bento.

 _Wow, the kid was hungry._

"My name is Uchiha Makoto," He told him. "This is my best friend, Uchiha Sasuke. And, I already know that your name is Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "How do you know my name?"

"You just announced it to the class when you were talking to Sasuke, Naruto-Kun," He explained.

Of course Naruto was not the sharpest tool in the shed.

"Oh, yeah. Well, he thinks he's so cool and better than everyone!" Naruto complained. "What's so special about him?"

Izuna shrugged. "Well, how about you ask him?"

Naruto marched three steps towards Sasuke and said duck-haired kid glanced up in mid bite. "Why do you act like you are some big shot, huh?" Naruto asked, leaning down to get in his face.

Sasuke responded by eating another bite of his tomato sandwich.

"You don't ignore someone when they are talking to you!" Naruto exclaimed, getting flustered.

Izuna sweat dropped.

This was getting troublesome.

"Go away, moron," Sasuke finally said in a monotone voice.

"What?! Who are you calling a moron?!"

"Hey! Leave them alone!" A blond haired Yamanaka shouted as she ran over and slapped Naruto over the head.

"Owww! What was that for?"

"Let them eat in peace!" A pink haired girl said.

"Yeah!"

Ren-Sensei loudly clapped his hands together. "Okay, enough!" He yelled. "Naruto, go back to your seat and stop railing up the class!"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Naruto said as he crossed his arms.

When all the kids returned to their seats, Izuna saw that Naruto was still sitting at his right.

"Naruto! Go back to your seat" The teacher said.

"I'm sitting here from now on."

"I think you should sit in your original seat, Naruto-Kun," Izuna suggested as he saw the angry face of the teacher.

Naruto shook his head rapidly. "No way! No way! At least you are nice with me and do not try to ignore me"

"But, maybe if you get to know your classmates you can see why they acts the way they do, even Sasuke. He is a very nice person when you get to know him," He told him.

"Hmn" Sasuke said.

"Pshhh. I don't care for him."

Izuna arched an eyebrow. "If you don't care for him, why does he bother you so much?" He asked. "He has barely spoken to you and he is already getting underneath your skin."

Naruto gave him an irritated look. "Because people like him get on my nerves."

"Well, if you want him to notice you," He began. "You need to hang around him and talk to him. He will warm up to you over time."

"I guess you're right," Naruto admitted. He looked up at him and a hurt expression flashed over his face before it quickly went away. "Why do you want to get rid of me so badly?"

"I don't!" He quickly said, waving his hands in front his face. "I'm just trying to help you make friends!"

Naruto's ears perked up at the word "friend"

"Do you really think he would want to be my friend?" he asked.

Something inside of Izuna broke as he saw in his eyes how lonely he was and how desperate he was for attention.

So he nodded. "I do, but just give it time. He is a reserved person and will slowly need to get to know you. Maybe some of our other classmates are like Sasuke. They need time."

"Alright! I understand," Naruto told him as he jumped out of his sit. "Thanks for helping me, Makoto-Chan!" He ran back down to his previous sit just as Ren announced that lunchtime was over.

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"You are too nice for your own good, Makoto"

"Hmn"

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	5. Chapter 5

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 **Chapter Five**

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At the end of the day, Izuna was surprised to see Shisui waiting for them.

Usually, because of the nature of his brother's work as AMBU, they did not have time to see each other unless it was dinner.

"Nii-San!" Izuna said as he hugged his brother.

Shisui gave them a genuine smile. "You seem to be in a good mood, Mako-chan," he said ruffling his black hair like if he was a dog. "Did you and Sasuke have a good first day at the Academy?"

"It was a little boring," Izuna admitted and Sasuke nodded. "All sensei did is explain what we should expect for the year and some tests." He pouted, losing himself in the façade of the six-year-old he was.

"You do know that the rest of your Academy days will not be as laid back as today, correct?" Shisui asked to both of them.

"We know," Sasuke replied.

"We are ready for a challenge!" Makoto added. _If you call 2+2 a challenge._ Went unsaid

Shisui smirked, reading the thoughts of his little brother. "I like your enthusiasm. Did you talk to someone other than Sasuke?"

Izuna shook his head. "No," He lied.

He was not sure if Shisui would have a negative reaction to Naruto, so Izuna left that little detail for later.

Sasuke looked confused, but otherwise he did not made a comment and Izuna was okay with that.

"While I do not think it is necessary for people to be friends with everybody, both of you must not exclude yourselves," Shisui told them. "Expanding your social circles is important. Not too many friends but a few true friends; and the first year is the best year to get acquainted with your classmates."

"I promise I won't exclude myself! I just wanted to pay attention to my instructor today so I can become the best in my class," Izuna lied.

Shisui nodded in approval. "Ahh, okay. I see nothing wrong with that my genius little otouto. But I am not sure that Sasuke think the same way."

"Hmn hm" he nodded.

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As they made their way back, with Sasuke riding piggyback on Shisui's shoulders, Izuna started to tug on his brother's hand.

"What's wrong?"

Sasuke followed Makoto's gaze to a big building on their right, "This is where our family works right? The Uchiha, I mean"

"Those are the headquarters of Military Police Force."

He missed Sasuke's quizzical expression.

"I always wondered," Sasuke, said staring intently at the building, "Why do the police have the Uchiha crest on its logo?"

Shisui was startled Sasuke had noticed, "What, you knew about that?"

"Of course!"

Shisui grinned at the indignation in Sasuke's voice, "Well, to make it simple… it's been said that the police force was founded by a member of our clan."

Adjusting his hold on Sasuke, he continued, "The _uchiwa_ is the mark of the Uchiha. Almost all of the Uchiha are working for the first division of the police force and participating in keeping the order of the village. Only highly skilled shinobi can enforce the laws on shinobi crimes."

"Then who watches the Uchiha?"

Shisui tilted his head back at Makoto's question, "Being an Uchiha doesn't mean that the police can give us special treatment. Rather, to uphold the name, the police would be more likely to give an Uchiha the less desired type of special treatment." Seeing Sasuke's confused expression, he elaborated, "If you were in trouble, would you be more afraid of Fugaku-Sama or the police?"

"Father." He replied without hesitation.

"Exactly."

Sasuke cocked his head to the side, "Are you going to join too, Shisui-San?"

"Hmm, maybe."

"Someday I will be working there! Like tou-San!"

Shisui felt Makoto watching him, "What is it?"

He hesitated, "But, does everyone know that? Wouldn't other people think we were getting special treatment if the only police are Uchiha? I mean, this is a lot of power and power corrupts, people know this," Before either Shisui or Sasuke could respond, Makoto added, "Those who crack down on crime, tent to be easily disliked. The more authority such a group has, the more conceited it can get. Everybody will think that the Uchiha are evil!"

Sasuke pouted, "Take that back! We're not evil!"

Before Sasuke could twist out of his hold, Shisui set him down, allowing him to dart off, "I will make you eat those words Mako-Baka!"

Shisui stared thoughtfully at the police headquarters building, watching Sasuke pursue Makoto from his peripheral vision.

 _Maybe you are right…_

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When they arrived home, Izuna found his mother in the kitchen as she greeted him and his brother. "Hello, Makoto-chan! I am so excited to hear all about your first day at the Academy!" They sat down at the kitchen table as he repeated the same things he had just told his brother.

"Awhh, well that's okay. You will have more interesting days as the year goes on."

"I just feel like this year is going to be boring because everything sensei told us that we are going to learn sounds really easy," Makoto admitted to her. Sometimes he felt like his mother and him, had some special kind of bond.

She just likes to listen or give him advice.

Even though she is always working, he loves her from the depths of his heart.

"You won't know that until you actually dive into the lessons," she told him. "But, if these things does come easy to you, your instructor will take notice and send a recommendation to Hokage-sama to promote you a year or two."

Izuna was quick to deny with his head. "I really don't want that. I want to stay with Sasuke, he is my best friend."

She smiled. "Well, just think about it this way. If it comes easy to you, you will get your homework done fast and can focus on other things like helping Sasuke, training or spending time with your big brother."

"Thank you. I will keep that in mind," He smiled as he told her. He stood up, and watched the empty chair where Shisui was sitting some minutes ago.

"Where did he go?"

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	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Naruto wouldn't have tried to copy DragonBall Z attacks in the final arc If I would have been the owner of Naruto, but sadly Kishimoto is the owner and gave the green lights to that.

 **AN:** Yay over 1000 hits 9 favs, 18 follows. I'm so proud!

Thank you for the reviews!

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 **Chapter Six**

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 **—Six Years—**

The first week passed calmly, something for which Izuna was exceedingly grateful. He spent those days training, neatly filing his old skill sets away and pitting them against his new ones.

Izuna had been a warrior, and while Makoto is also training to fight, the styles between his two lifetimes where drastically different. Izuna and Madara were self-taught; their fighting styles been originated from the experience of countless battles and the heat of the battlefield.

Madara once compared their fighting styles with _dancing_. It was unorthodox but elegant and effective. A style born out of necessity to counter the precise and brutal strikes of Senju style.

 _Do you want to dance?_

Those words used to be Izuna and Madara's catchphrase.

Makoto and Sasuke, on the other hand, were learning both the new fighting style of their clan and the Academy style; they were training to be soldiers. Something Izuna detested but tried to accept.

While the Academy styles were direct, teaching those who learned it the basics of fighting, it was still less _graceful_ than what he was used to.

Izuna almost began laughing hysterically when he realized that the academy style was a very simplified and bastardized version of the Senju style.

Oh, the irony.

But it was good training, nonetheless; teaching the kids such a basic and versatile style so they could adapt it to their own needs. Because of that, Izuna wondered if he could add some of his old fighting style to the new Academy style.

This is what he was trying to accomplish last week.

Izuna thought that he could catch a glimpse of amusement in the eyes of his brother, classmates and the other Uchiha when they thought he was not looking.

Some people already began calling him genius.

Of course, using his skill so obviously meant that Sasuke eventually catches on and demands to be taught _how to_ _dance_.

If Izuna found this more than amusing or ironic, he kept it to himself.

However, he was more than glad to teach Sasuke.

Because everything Izuna was, is because of Madara, and Sasuke is Madara.

This was the least he could do for him.

Life, Izuna thought, is good. Even if he was teaching his best friend how to be a murderer.

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By the end of the second week, Izuna was sure one thing.

He _hated_ fangirls.

Maybe _hate_ was not the right word to describe what he was feeling, but it was a close one.

Because he was a seventeen-year-old guy in the body of a little kid; they made him feel _uncomfortable_. Damn.

It was wrong on so many levels.

However, if someone asked Izuna about the most troublesome thing at the academy, without a doubt he would say Naruto

Therefore, Izuna was asking himself one thing.

When did he began to see Naruto as a friend?

This was a mystery, because every day that passed Izuna found himself spending more and more time with the blond prankster.

Izuna smiled as he thought about that.

He really should have known that escaping that cheerful and loud ball of sunshine would not be so simple. It was rather obvious. Izuna being the only kid that was friendly to him just caused Naruto to latch on him like a remora to a shark.

Some days he caught glimpses of Naruto watching him and Sasuke practice taijutsu. Izuna did not minded playing/training with him but it was not something he could do too often, he did not wanted him getting attached to only one person, and he wanted him to have more than one friend.

Too bad the kid in question was Uzumaki —stubborn— Naruto.

No matter where he hid, he somehow managed to find him so Izuna had to find new hiding spots to train, a slowly diminishing commodity. Naruto, being who he was, could not take the hint either; he just assumed he had won a round of Hide n Seek and then he dragged Izuna to play some other game or spending time together.

Sasuke and Shisui's smirks were annoying.

His mother was horrified when she found that her youngest son befriended the pariah of Konoha.

His mother looked even more horrified when one day, a very annoyed Hiruzen Sarutobi came to their home and told her that her beloved son helped Naruto to vandalize the hokage monument.

Shisui was a different story; he encouraged Izuna to spend more time with Naruto and convinced his mother that Naruto was a good kid.

Izuna slowly lost the will to resist as he saw Naruto's lonely existence.

He did not liked to admit it, but he also began to care about Naruto.

He was like an _annoying_ little brother.

And Izuna protects his brothers.

The hatred and fear that the adults regarded him with, was trickled down to their children. Whenever he stood to introduce himself —"I am Uzumaki Naruto and I am going to be the greatest hokage ever!"— There was a visible reaction to the other kids. They pulled back from him, scooting chairs away and giving him frightened, hostile looks.

There were a few exceptions, as always.

Sasuke, too annoyed to be afraid, sometimes talked with him or simply allowed his presence. The Hyuuga girl apparently had a crush on Naruto, and of course, the Nara, always sleeping at the back of the classroom.

The rest, though, they frowned at him and muttered as if he was some kind of criminal.

It was childish, but it irritated Izuna.

Because nobody mess with his family.

By the end of the fourth week, the kids behind the place were Naruto, Izuna and Sasuke sit, were swapped out for the Nara and Akimichi boys. The previous kids thought it would be funny to throw things at Naruto in class. Alternatively, to whisper and make fun of him.

Izuna released enough killing intent he made a pair of six-year-old boys cry so hard their faces were purple and their noses ran.

Izuna is not very proud of wat he did.

However, he did what he had to do.

Because Naruto is a friend.

And friends are the family we choose.

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 **—Seven Years—**

"Surprise!" They all shouted in unison.

They were at Makoto's home; to his right were his mother and brother, while Itachi, Mikoto, Naruto and Sasuke stood at his left, next to the table. All of them made a simple but meaningful scenario for a birthday with a big cake and many colorful balloons.

Izuna stood at the entrance for a good time while with his jaw hanging open in shock... surprise. It was a face of complete surprise, he did not move from the sudden surprise that he just received, after all, he never had a surprise party, and his family always took him to eat somewhere or just brought a small cake to share with him, something small and nice.

His eyed began watering and his shoulders were shaking.

It was only thanks to Shisui who managed to break the stupor from his little brother with a single pat on his head. Makoto then ran towards them and attempted to hug them in one go which was impossible so he hugged them one by one, with some hesitation towards Mikoto because he was never properly introduced to her, even if she used to babysit him when he was only a baby and Makoto was named in her honor.

With that aside, he received his dosages of warm hugs of his family and friends. They sang together and played silly games together which always resulted in a headache for Itachi while Naruto just laughed from his seat

"Here Makoto. This is a gift from my family" Sasuke's mother was the first to give him a present; he could not deny that he was curious of what was inside the box.

"Thank you Mikoto-Sama" He respectfully accepted it and without second thoughts, he started to rip the paper apart. His eyes widened in surprise at watching the recently revealed mystery. "A scroll?"

"Unseal it." Itachi said and Makoto obeyed. He channeled a bit of chakra to the seal and a cloud of smoke happened next; they definitely added that feature for more suspense because storage scrolls created a cloud of smoke but a very small one. Itachi quickly dispelled the cloud along with Shisui, only to reveal some sets of ninja equipment, kunais, shurikens, even more scrolls"

"I choose the shurikens!" Sasuke said happily.

"Wow… this is awesome! Thank you guys"

Then came Shisui's gift, which was a set of senbon.

"Don't think I didn't see you eyeing those senbon in that store window we passed the other day," Shisui said petting his brother's head. His mother's gift wasn't a surprise, it was some clothes.

At last but not least it was Naruto's gift.

Out of instinct Naruto looked at his wrapped gift and looked a little sad.

"Don't worry Naruto-Kun. I will definitely like your gift" Makoto said as he thanked him dearly, ripped the paper and opened the box. Then he stared at his new present with a blank expression.

There was a nature book, filled with glossy pictures of different animals and plants.

This gift captured Makoto's attention.

But Naruto confused his friend's reaction "I am sorry if you don't like it," He said as he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Jiji said that maybe you would like it..."

Izuna slowly sat down in the chair, turning the pages of a book about desert animals. Trailing a fingertip over the images, Izuna's eyes widened as he saw lizards, amazing creatures called camels and other small mammals he had never imagined in his wildest dreams.

So much of the fighting of his last life had happened in the woods or grasslands.

Madara always avoided the desert in their war campaign.

This book was a childhood dream coming true. He thought as his eyes began watering again.

He always wanted to travel the world.

Even the pictures of the dunes were incredible to look at, swaths of sandy hills that looked like smooth red peaks contrasted sharply against the deep blue skies. Izuna turned the pages slowly, almost disbelieving.

When he finally reached the book, he shut it gently.

"What do you think?" Naruto said a little nervous.

"I didn't know books like this existed," Izuna said in shock. He fiddled with the binding of the book as he spoke, "I love it! These paintings must have taken so much time to make. They're incredible."

"Paintings?" Naruto said as he chuckled, "Those are photographs, taken with a camera." He made a little laugh.

Izuna turned away, shaking his head. Of course, those were photographs taken with a camera.

How was he supposed forget that?

"Sorry, Naruto-Kun. I got a little lost in thought. I love it! Thank you!" He said as all the people began laughing.

Life, Izuna though, is good.

Even if he knew that it will not last forever.

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Note:if you have any feedback or find any grammar mistake feel free to comment. :)


	7. Chapter 7

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 **Chapter Seven**

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Sometimes, Makoto felt bad about lying to everybody. Especially his family.

As they left a restaurant after a fairly enjoyable lunch, he found he had a hard time meeting his brother's gaze.

Shisui was such a good person, a bit childish and absent-minded, but a good person nonetheless. He always tried to be the best big brother and role model figure he could.

Sometimes Makoto felt bad for pretending to be a child, because he was not a child.

Nevertheless, he always kept the act, because being an older brother was something that made Shisui happy.

He liked watching Shisui's smiles.

And well… he admitted that sometimes he liked being spoiled by his brother and mother.

There was also a very important fact. What could he say? Hey! Sorry I am actually a seventeen-year-old guy trapped in the body of a kid and I tried to kill the second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, more than a dozen times!

Yeah, he thought bitterly, that'd go swimmingly.

"Hey, Nii-San," He said, "I have always wondered, what do you do for fun?"

Shisui did not said anything for some seconds and he looked up at him. He looked deep in thought.

Sometimes, he wondered if Shisui's absent-minded and playful self was also a façade. Sometimes, he wondered about the hidden face his brother had —his shinobi mask. He wondered how different it would be. Would he like it?

"I suppose I like to train with Itachi," Shisui shrugged, "And I enjoy the library. Reading has always been a past time of mine." He added and then smiled, "Boring grown-up things. Sorry, but I can't be awesome all the time, shrimp"

At the mention of a library, Makoto could not help but feel incredibly and uncomfortably stupid. A library! Of course there would be a public library here. There had not been in the past, most of the population was illiterate and the majority of the books were really expensive, reserved only for the wealthiest people, like feudal lords, merchants and powerful ninja clans. They had a little library at the compound, but it only had basic knowledge, mostly shinobi stuff he already knew.

"Do you want to go?"

"Hm?"

"To the library, I mean" Makoto clarified. "Or...could you take me to it? I admit I would like to learn some...stuff." Like the history, politics, culture and everything about Konoha.

"Of course, Mako-Chan!" Shisui was smiling brightly and Makoto wondered if it was because he enjoyed the library so much or because he enjoyed his company so much. Maybe it was a little of both. "I've been enjoying this biography on Tobirama Senju by Koharu Utatane." He said with a smile on his face, and Makoto felt like if someone threw him a bucket of cold water. "It's amazing how complicated politics is. I'm currently working for the Sandaime and I've found learning about politics makes everything a whole lot easier when you're dealing with councilman and clan heads."

Makoto hummed every time he heard the niidaimes name, listening intently as Shisui continued praising the asshole, and told him about a series of meetings he had attended, all of them centered on the building of a southern road from one of Konoha's proxy towns to the capital. "Every clan member," he scowled, "Is so prone to holding onto grudges. I think the Hyuga will die out before forgiving the Yamanaka over some land dispute that happened some sixty years ago and the Uchiha still hold a grudge on the Senju, although the clan itself no longer appears to exist as a group"

"I didn't know you were so involved in the government," Makoto said, "its impressive"

"Ah well..." He said a little ashamed "It's really interesting."

The library, relative to everything else in the area, was an older building. It looked older. The walls were weather worn and the sidewalk around the building was cracking. However, the landscaping was well maintained.

"I love books… Mad—" Makoto began and then stopped, suddenly struck with the reminder that he was on a different time.

Uchiha Madara was dead and now he had other family. In his last life, some of his earliest memories were sitting by his big brother's feet in as he read him stories out loud.

"So do I need an ID or anything?" He asked, trying to change the subject as they waited behind an elderly man to check in at the front desk.

Shisui shook his head, "I have one. I'll get you a visitor pass and you can sign up for one when you graduate from the academy."

The library itself was larger than Makoto expected. The stacks were huge, intimidating in their height. Moreover, the few sky lights and gas lamps provided just enough lighting to read the titles along the spine. Yet the silence, that was only broken by the flipping of pages and the occasional sniffle, did not feel oppressive.

Instead, Makoto thought as he allowed Shisui to pull him deeper into the stacks, it was like being transported to another world. The hustle and bustle of Konoha's busy streets felt far more distant than the four walls should allow. The dark wood tables lit by the yellow gas lamps acted like a grounding island amongst the rows and rows of knowledge that defined Konoha.

"What do you want to read?" Shisui asked as he saw his little brother with some curiosity, Makoto was frowning.

"Do you know a good overview of Konoha's history and its founders?" he began. "There are lots and lots about Senju Hashirama" and he did remarkably well in not twisting out that name with a sneer, "but nothing about the other founder. The other man who wanted peace. Uchiha Madara."

Shisui blinked, genuine surprise on his face. "The other man who wanted peace? Uchiha Madara?" He repeated, still blinking.

"Why?" Shisui added as he raised an eyebrow and his voice turned harsh. _Why would you like to know about him?_ Went unsaid.

However, Makoto was so distracted on the books that he did not realized Shisui's reaction. "He is my hero. Can you tell me about him? What happened to him? Did he… did he get married? Have children? What… what did he do after the village was founded?"

Seconds later, he raised his sight when Shisui did not answer his question.

The sad look that settled in Shisui's features made Makoto's stomach clench.

"…"

"Eh….well, If you know about Senju Hashirama's story, then you must be aware of his brother's story, Senju Tobirama, right?"

Makoto bit his tongue and nodded. He could see those eyes in his dreams, still, not as bad as when he first woke, but still there. Still staring into him _._

"Yes" He nodded.

"Madara-Sama lost his last brother in battle against the Senju brothers," Shisui spoke gently. His eyes were on Makoto, dark and sad. "It was that loss that brought about the end of the wars, though. He was angry at the death of his brother Izuna. But not so angry that when Hashirama offered his own life in exchange, he took it over the peace. They put down their swords and together they built the village."

"I know that part," he said fast... too fast. "I meant… after the village. What happened to him?" He made a very good work keeping his voice calm and neutral.

"He brought in the Uchiha clan to Konoha. Like the Hyuuga and some of the other clans, he helped set up the compound so that we would always have a place. He placed himself and the clan in the service of the village as shinobi. He was the leader of the clan for years, but he never married. Though he cared for the Uchiha clan as his family, he never brought anyone close again."

"…"

"Maybe, if he had, he wouldn't have descended into madness."

Makoto took in a sharp breath. "Madness?"

"He spent a lot of time alone. Lived alone. Some of his private records show that he took missions alone as well. He was the head of the clan but he lived separate from it. Not above it, no, but isolated among his own family. Distant." He paused, considering Makoto with a gentle look.

Makoto looked up at him, his face looked neutral but his fingers clutched at his own hands. His nails dug into his own skin. "What happened to him? How did he… How did it end?"

"He found a record that he believed told him the village wouldn't be able to survive with both the Senju and the Uchiha in it. He tried to convince the clan and even the Hokage to change things." He frowned slightly, "But they wouldn't listen to him and he became even more upset. He left the village. He became the first missing-nin in konoha's history, labeled as a criminal by his own village."

"He left?" Makoto whispered. His nails bit into skin. His heart hammered in his chest.

Madara had been alone.

So alone.

Why hadn't the clan pulled him back into their arms?

Why hadn't he built himself another family?

Why hadn't they listened when he had warned them about the Senju?

"W-here did he go?"

Why hadn't Izuna said anything, anything, else when he had died? Had he done this? Had he focused Madara's obsession on that other clan?

"He took his journals with him when he left," Shisui said. "He didn't mark a map. He did not tell anyone. No one knows where he went."

"Why did he go alone?" Makoto leaned forward. "He didn't have to be alone!" He choked on his next words _; I would have gone with him_. _I would have gone anywhere with him_. Madara should not have been left alone with his fears!

"He chose to be alone," Shisui murmured. "Perhaps he didn't realize that he wasn't alone. After the death of his last brother, he was reported to fear bringing people close to himself. His entire immediate family had been killed. All the people he loved the most had been taken from him in an effort to stop the war and to shake his father's conviction and then later his own. When Izuna died, perhaps he thought he couldn't protect his most precious ones again."

Makoto choked on air.

It was his fault.

He had died and Madara had suffered for it.

His pain had been just a moment and Madara had suffered for years… decades.

He lifted his hands, ignorant of the blood on his skin from the bite of his own nails. He kept choking on breath, unable to speak, to breathe, to think.

It was his fault that Madara had been alone. So alone.

If he had been faster. If he had been stronger. If he had been better.

"Eventually," Shisui's voice was still quiet but somehow cut to the very center of him, "He did return. He came back to challenge the Hokage, Hashirama, and brought with him a chakra beast. They fought until exhaustion. In the end, Madara fell to Hashirama and died."

"What about his body?"

Shisui shifted closer to his little brother but did not reach out to touch him. Makoto knew that if he had, though, he would have started to cry.

"It isn't… very publicized, where his body was found," He admitted. "In fact, it was secreted away after the battle and put to rest in a place that no one but the Uchiha knew about to keep his eyes from being used." He paused "He was laid to rest near his last brother, Izuna."

Makoto did not care about crying anymore. He let out a wretched sob. He wanted to take away the suffocating pain of his chest.

Shisui distantly said his name but he did not stop crying, did not stop sobbing, until comforting but strong hands pulled his arms down and drew him close.

Makoto took all the comfort that he could from him, knowing it would not last. It never seemed to.

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	8. Chapter 8

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 **Chapter Eight**

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Itachi became more distant, withdrawing into himself and Makoto could tell Sasuke was worried about his big brother.

Makoto was also worried if not a little concerned.

Shisui has not returned home in more than one month.

He could see that the way the Uchiha acted denoted nervousness.

It looked like if everybody was trying to prepare for something.

Something wrong was happening within the clan.

He had no words to describe it, but if someone asked Makoto, he would say that it felt like the calm before the storm.

Apparently, his mother realized that he was worried; Shisui told her about the library's incident one month ago, so she thought that maybe it was related.

She tried to talk with him many times, but he always told her that he was okay.

At the end, he told her that he was just a little disappointed to know that his biggest hero was in fact, a criminal.

Maybe he was right, and the suffocating pain that he still felt on his chest was the proof.

His beloved Madara became a criminal, detested by the entire population of Konoha, the kind of person the mothers made stories to scare their children.

He murdered Hashirama Senju.

All because of him.

Of course he was not okay, he was really depressed.

However, even when he felt afraid, sad and uncertain inside, he tried to project a warm and confident exterior.

Especially when Sasuke was near.

Therefore, Makoto decided to spend more time with him.

The two of them had been training together on a daily basis, going out to one of the training fields on the edge of the compound and throwing everything they had at each other until the two of them were laughing and exhausted.

Makoto spent all the time he could with Sasuke.

Because even if he would never admit it, it made him felt better.

Because it made him feel… less guilty.

Because he did not want his friend dealing with the constant fights between his brother and father or the disappointed glares Fugaku gave him.

Sometimes, Makoto tried as best as he could to restrain from insulting Fugaku.

Because eight-year-old children were not supposed to know the kind of language Makoto knew. So wisely, Makoto kept his mouth shut and tried to think of other ways to distract Sasuke.

For that purpose, Makoto believed that Naruto was like was like an angel fallen from the sky.

Sometimes, it felt like if the blond kid had some kind charm that made all their worries disappear, even if he annoyed Sasuke as no other could.

Makoto was okay with that.

Because an annoyed Sasuke was a happy and distracted Sasuke.

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Sasuke was feeling excited.

He had done it!

Sasuke turned back as the last of his flames fizzled out only to see his father walk away.

The emblem on his father's back had never seemed as far as it did then.

He stared at his sandals as heard his father's steps recede.

Had he not learned it fast enough? He asked himself.

"As I expected, you are my child."

With the heart in his throat, Sasuke looked up with wide eyes.

Like the little child he was.

His father never turned to face him but the emblem stayed within sight as his father spoke.

"Did Makoto master this as well?"

Sasuke shrugged, feeling uncomfortable as he thought about his best friend. "Yes, he was the one that helped me. I think that he also helped Naruto with some of his techniques,"

"The Uzumaki brat?"

For a moment, Sasuke was worried he had said too much. He did not really want to get Makoto in trouble, because Sasuke knew that his father disliked Naruto. And even if he did not liked to admit it, Naruto was also his friend.

"Hmmph, no matter. You did well. From now on, you may shamelessly wear the family crest on your back. You must now improve. Then, you can soar to great heights."

Delight shot through him, "Yes, tou-San!"

"Also, I will say one thing."

Curious, Sasuke waited.

"Do not follow your brother."

Having said his piece, his father left.

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Nii-san?

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Things were moving too quickly these days, and Makoto felt like he was struggling to keep up. He found he missed the peaceful lull of his days spent in Academy classes unworried about the future, the afternoons wasted away by spending time with his Naruto and Sasuke, the times between Shisui's missions when Makoto would soak up every moment with his brother that he could.

He knew that he could not go back in time.

Right now, he knew something was happening.

Something wrong

His instinct said that he had been staring at the breeding grounds for a revolt. A police force comprised entirely of one clan? Such a force would almost guarantee a dislike of the Uchiha by the village.

Makoto thought that there should be some kind of relation with his brother's absence and Itachi's conduct toward the clan.

Shisui was not the type of people that just disappear without a very good reason.

At first, he thought that maybe he was being too cynical or paranoid.

Maybe he was exaggerating.

After all, he was just a kid, worried about his brother. Maybe the guiltiness of leaving Madara was clouding his mind.

After all, he grew inside the perspective of the clan, and he always thought that the villagers respected, if not revered the Uchiha name.

Then again, maybe he was indoctrinated to only see the viewpoint of the clan.

So Makoto just sat on the swing, idly listening to the sound of Naruto and Sasuke's fight as he did so. It would have been nice had he not been mulling. Flipping over to his side, he idly saw as Sasuke rushed and knocked down Naruto with a single blow.

"Makoto? Are you…"

Makoto looked up from his place at the academy's playground to see Sasuke with a hand on his shoulder, brow wrinkled.

Makoto tried not to find it too adorable, and then realized that Sasuke was concerned about him, and the urge to find the wrinkled brow cute immediately vanished.

He paused in his steps and looked at him for some seconds. With his short black hair, innocent eyes, and quiet personality, there was little resemblance to how he had looked in his last life. Nearly four years since they had found each other again, and Makoto still found it difficult to link this kid to Uchiha Madara, the peace-seeking bastard.

He still was not used to seeing it.

"I'm fine. Just…" what would be a good word to use to describe how troubled he felt about the situation within the clan that would not cause Sasuke to worry more? Makoto decided to not try to find one, and instead went for honesty. "Sorry, I haven't been able to sleep well. I am a little worried about my brother. He has not returned home yet."

Sasuke's brow-wrinkle deepened.

"Makoto? Are you alright? You look very tired" He looked up to see Naruto reaching out a hand to him.

"You look tense," Sasuke added.

"Sorry guys" he said with a smile that did not reached his eyes. "Thanks for caring about me, but don't worry, I am fine. Just a little worried."

Sasuke looked unconvinced.

"We can go home so you can rest, I am sure sensei will understand..."

Makoto smiled, and ruffled Sasuke's hair, entertained by how his best friend slapped at his hands and squirmed like a cranky kitten trying to get away.

"No we can't, being tired is no reason to slack in our studies" Makoto retorted. Then he shrugged. "And don't worry Sasu, today is Friday and I will have time to sleep on weekend."

Makoto expected Sasuke to scowl at him, to tell Makoto that he was not a baby, and other such things.

Instead, Sasuke opened his mouth as though he was about to do just as Makoto had predicted, but then he paused, closed his mouth, and then after a moment, smiled.

"Sure. Come on Makoto, or you'll make us late." He said as their teacher announced that break time was over.

He carefully tried to suppress the smile that accompanied the sudden warm feeling in his chest at the thought of his friends caring about his wellbeing.

"Last one up is cold ramen!"

With a loud giggle at the blond's oddness, they returned to class.

Makoto found he missed the peaceful lull of his days spent in the park unworried about the future, the afternoons wasted away by spending time with his brother and friends, the times between Shisui's missions when Makoto would soak up every moment with his brother that he could.

He found he missed Madara.

However, he knew that he could do little to nothing about it.

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Thanks for the reviews :)


	9. Chapter 9

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Chapter Nine

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Why?

Just **_why_**?

Makoto had been asking himself that one world question for some time and still he could not find himself close to answer it; or better said, he could not find himself to answer because he knew that answer and he did not wanted to take responsibility, even if the situation could not have been helped, he knew something was wrong and by knowing, he could have done anything but yet he didn't.

Because he was careless.

Because he was an idiot.

Because he was a naive.

Because a little part of him hoped that his intuition was wrong, but it was not.

Makoto felt useless in the face of recent events, felt self-hatred burn and boil in his gut like a raging storm had brewed in his stomach.

Yesterday, the news of Shisui's suicide reached him and Makoto felt a part of him shatter as he cried.

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 _I will love you always Makoto._

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His beloved brother was Dead, Dead, Dead, DEAD

Fucking Dead, like Madara.

A fucking corpse found in the Naka river… and there was nothing he could do…

He had vanished one night, telling no one of where he was going. The only hint of what had happened was the note their mother recovered from Shisui's room.

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I'm tired of the duties...

there is no future for the uchiha and for me...

I cannot walk out the "path" any more

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Itachi gave him a brand new tantō and some books about nature the next day. There was a note from Shisui attached to it.

Nevertheless, Makoto just ignored the note and stuffed the tantō and the book in a drawer, where he would never had to look at it.

What good were gifts from a dead man?

He had grieved enough on his last life.

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He had already lost four brothers, one more made no difference…

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Stepping out of the classroom, Makoto allowed his thoughts wander as he and his classmates followed their instructor. Today they had taijutsu class.

In the past, when he had been with his other family, Madara had been a steady supplier of order and orders. Working from dawn to dusk at any and every task had become routine.

Moreover, his family, the academy and his friends played the same role.

Shisui used to be his biggest constant as much as the boy could be whenever he was not being sent out on missions; he always returned home with a bright smile.

Makoto found he misses Shisui. A part of him ached at the memory of Shisui's smiles, even if he told everybody that he was okay.

He was not okay. He felt like if a part of him broke and stood broken every time he thought about Shisui and his other four brothers. He felt like crying.

The children were in the training grounds. Fighting as a man made his way through the students. Shimura sensei corrected stances, forms and punches as necessary.

He felt so strangely uneasy as he saw that.

Because it felt like nothing had changed; like if he was back on that bloody battlefield.

He never liked it, Child soldiers.

Therefore, for the last two years, he tried to fight down the indignation, every time. Because it was just like in the warring clans period. Made to fight from age five. Made to die by twelve.

He stifled a laugh as he realized that even here; there was no peace. Even here, children were born to die.

 _Like Shisui._

And he had thought Konoha a heaven.

How… how pathetic.

All of this peace was just that, a facade.

That will of fire concept that Hiruzen preached. Fake.

He could not help but feel disappointed.

That day, Makoto felt dazed as he walked back from the academy, alone. It was rather obvious that he wanted some time alone so his friends let him.

Children passed him on the street as their parents herd them home and sometimes he stopped to watch them pass.

How many of them would live to adulthood?

Would Naruto and Sasuke reach adulthood?

Would they die like Shisui?

Would he be able to protect them?

He turned his eyes towards the parents; all were speaking to each other.

How could they stand the guilt?!

They claimed to be civilized, better than the people from the warring clans period. At least, in the past they had not hidden their brutality. Had not attempted to pretend they were doing anything less than raising children for battle.

No

What else did Konoha hide?

His eyes lingered for a moment on the Hokage Mountain; their stern faces a constant on the horizon.

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When he returned to the compound, Makoto went to Sasuke's home and stood in front of the window of Itachi's bedroom for far too long before working up the nerve to enter. He found Itachi writing mission reports on his bed as he did so.

He did not know what to do.

Therefore, he stood there at a crossroads. If he spoke, what would he say? Could he pretend he does not know better?

And… would Itachi even understand the reason he wanted to talk with him? After all, if this time was as brutal and violent as before, then it was safe to say that maybe Itachi was not the exception.

"Can I help you?" Itachi asked, setting his pen down. He looked calm. He looked unconcerned. However, Makoto had lived long enough to know looks could be deceiving. After all, he was older than Itachi even if his body disagreed.

Itachi was troubled, Makoto could tell that.

Maybe it was because his appearance resembled much of his brother's.

Maybe it was because of the current situation within the clan.

Makoto did not know what to say so he said nothing.

"Makoto?" Itachi repeated with a raised eyebrow.

He looked up to meet his eyes.

They looked so sad and tired of everything.

Itachi was only a kid and yet he had the same eyes of a veteran. The same cursed eyes of Madara. The same cursed eyes he had.

"I—" Makoto said before closing his mouth, his mind kept running.

He knew that they lived in a violent world.

In this world, children were not allowed to be children. They were born to fight. They were taught to accept that this was the way the world worked.

But, but Madara taught him that children were supposed to play games of tag and their biggest worries should be family and friends and childhood love.

And… he knew, that that maybe that dream was impossible.

"Do you ever think of peace?" Makoto asked.

Itachi stared at him, confused. "We are in peace, Makoto," he said.

"This is _bulshit_ and you know it." Makoto said, his voice sharp…too sharp, losing for some seconds his usually quiet and collected self.

Because how could peace allow children to die, fighting battles meant for adults?

How could peace create the current situation between Konoha and the Uchiha?

How could peace create the situation that forced his brother to commit suicide?

"Real peace," Makoto insisted after he regained some of his calm, "Where children don't have to grow up learning how to fight and… die."

 _Like Shisui._ Went unsaid.

His question seemed to have got to Itachi as his emotionless mask broke for a second, appearing unsettled. He quickly turned stone-faced again except he narrowed his eyebrows this time.

It was then that Makoto realized he had been disgustingly naïve.

Irrationally naïve.

He knew there would always be war in the world.

He knew that violence was inherent in the human condition

War had always been close to him. Something his five brothers died in, something he trained for... something he died for… war… war took everything away from him.

Now it took away Shisui and someday it would take away Naruto and Sasuke.

And like usual, Makoto sighed, he found his thoughts returning to Madara. Inevitably, it always led back to the peace-seeking bastard.

Stopping that curse was Madara's dream.

Was he selfish for dreaming a better word? Was he wrong to want to achieve a peaceful world for Naruto and Sasuke to live in? For Konoha and its children? For his mother?

He looked past Itachi to the reports left on his bed and realized what Itachi did for a living.

He knew what Itachi did on those missions.

He knew what it meant to be a ninja of Konoha.

He knew that children in his world suffer and not every child gets to live to adulthood.

However, that did not deterred him from talking.

So he looked back at him and said, "Tell me, do you think that there is a peaceful solution to _this_?" he said, his voice quiet.

Itachi opened his mouth, then closed it. A moment later he opened it again, only to shut it once more.

Itachi looked taken aback and he reached out to touch Makoto before letting his arm fall away. "No"

That simple world felt like the Shinigami's peaceful embrace.

Because Itachi really sounded hopeless, like if he was debating if telling him something important.

But at the end, he said nothing.

They were standing close and, in a moment of weakness, Makoto leaned forward, allowing his head to thump against the teen's chest. Slowly, Makoto wrapped his arms around him and tried to imagine that Itachi was Shisui. "I don't think anything in this world makes sense anymore," he said truthfully. He felt oddly calm. Far too calm. And he wondered what was wrong with him.

Itachi did not said anything so they simply stood there.

Lost in thought.

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Note:

What's this? An update? I know, surprise.

Been a while, sorry but a had a lot of work.

Also, I'd like to thank you all for your reviews! You people are the best :)


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